[pacumming]

Have AussieDoodle, very basic newbie Groom question.

I normally have my dog groomed about every 6 weeks. I would like to see if I could lengthen this time by perhaps cutting a little off of the dog's body area myself. This is hypothetical and of course I will still use the groomer. Just want to buy a little time if possible. Of course grooming is a professional art. My budget is limited so....

My groomer said she actually does not use high end Andis shears but rather I know she is using a black Andis (not the red one with higher SPM's). I first said I bet you have a pair of $300-$400 clipper. But she said no. I believe she has this one based on what she showed me:
Andis ProClip Speed Detachable Blade Clipper, Professional Animal Grooming

https://www.amazon.com/Andis-Detachable-Professional-Grooming-22215/dp/B075966F6N?th=1

Since I wanted my dog to have about 3/4 to 1 inch of hair after being groomed I think (prob wrong) she said she used a 0 comb attachment (not sure of plastic or metal) .

And I did not recall what blade she said she used. I will ask her next time but that is 6-7 weeks away. Perhaps people will have differing opinions on this and the clipper but I welcome them.


Thank you very much
Peter

 

[DaySleepers]

I'm an owner of two curly dogs with different textures of coat and do all my own grooming for them, so obligatory 'not a pro' but I have some basic experience at this point.

The only all-purpose clippers I've had experience with is the Andis UltraEdge 2-speed, which I've had very good luck with and have lasted me about eight years at this point. The brand in general has an excellent reputation, so between that and the groomer recommendation, I'd think the ProClip could be worth trying.

Most clippers come with a #10 blade. This is about as short as I'm comfortable using as-is on my dogs - I've tried a #15 on my poodle but always manage to leave him with some irritation or clipper burn, so I don't do that anymore - and it's the length I use on my poodle's face, feet, and sanitary (anus and genitals). Combs will work over a #10, but they work best over #30 blades, so you'll have to consider whether you'll want to buy a #30 alongside the clippers themselves. Metal combs are typically easier to use and produce a more even clip than plastic, in my experience.

Just a heads up, the body isn't usually the worst place for matting if you go longer between grooms. Legs, armpits, under the ears, back of the thighs/butt, and anywhere a collar and/or harness sits are going to be your problem zones, in my experience. So if you're just trimming the body between professional grooms, you might notice some of these areas getting bad if you don't give them special attention as well. Obviously regular brushing/combing will help, making sure to get right down to the skin to avoid the trap of only brushing the outermost part of the hair and not realizing that there's mats forming close to the skin. Additionally, clipping a freshly bathed, dried and brushed dog is easier, gives nicer looking results, and is significantly less wear and tear on your blades than clipping an unwashed dog, so it's good to remember bathing needs to be factored in when looking at the time and effort grooming sessions will take. I don't actually own a dryer, so I'll often do the bathing the day before, as well as a thorough brushing once they're dry, and then go over them again with a comb the next day before I do the actual clipping.

 

[parus]

Good advice from Daysleepers.

It's very feasible to clip your own dog, either exclusively or alternating with groomer visits. That said, if your goal is to extend the length of time you can go between professional groomings...in my experience as a poodle owner, the factor that makes a professional grooming a pressing requirement isn't the length of his coat. Their coats don't grow excessively long all THAT fast. It's tangles and/or getting dirty or otherwise funky. The single best thing you can do to allow yourself more time between pro groomings is daily brushing, with a slicker brush then with a comb, making sure you get all the way down to the skin. Most poodle crosses are even more prone to matting than regular poodles due to the combo of kinky hair AND some undercoat (purebred poodles don't have undercoat) so this is even more pressing with a doodle dog. The dog may not look matted from a visual check or a quick pat, but can have matts close to the skin, especially in the locations Daysleepers identified. You can use a dog-safe detangling spray to make it easier and less painful for the dog.

The other challenge is just that a poodle/doodle coat works pretty much like a swiffer. If there is debris to pick up, they'll pick it up. Doesn't help if yours is a piggy like mine that likes mudpuddles and rollling in stinky things. Assiduous brushing/combing will get rid of a lot of miscellaneous debris, at least.

 

[pacumming]

I'm an owner of two curly dogs with different textures of coat and do all my own grooming for them, so obligatory 'not a pro' but I have some basic experience at this point.

The only all-purpose clippers I've had experience with is the Andis UltraEdge 2-speed, which I've had very good luck with and have lasted me about eight years at this point. The brand in general has an excellent reputation, so between that and the groomer recommendation, I'd think the ProClip could be worth trying.

Most clippers come with a #10 blade. This is about as short as I'm comfortable using as-is on my dogs - I've tried a #15 on my poodle but always manage to leave him with some irritation or clipper burn, so I don't do that anymore - and it's the length I use on my poodle's face, feet, and sanitary (anus and genitals). Combs will work over a #10, but they work best over #30 blades, so you'll have to consider whether you'll want to buy a #30 alongside the clippers themselves. Metal combs are typically easier to use and produce a more even clip than plastic, in my experience.

Just a heads up, the body isn't usually the worst place for matting if you go longer between grooms. Legs, armpits, under the ears, back of the thighs/butt, and anywhere a collar and/or harness sits are going to be your problem zones, in my experience. So if you're just trimming the body between professional grooms, you might notice some of these areas getting bad if you don't give them special attention as well. Obviously regular brushing/combing will help, making sure to get right down to the skin to avoid the trap of only brushing the outermost part of the hair and not realizing that there's mats forming close to the skin. Additionally, clipping a freshly bathed, dried and brushed dog is easier, gives nicer looking results, and is significantly less wear and tear on your blades than clipping an unwashed dog, so it's good to remember bathing needs to be factored in when looking at the time and effort grooming sessions will take. I don't actually own a dryer, so I'll often do the bathing the day before, as well as a thorough brushing once they're dry, and then go over them again with a comb the next day before I do the actual clipping.

Thank you very much for your very helpful reply.
Peter